Boat



Sept. 5,, M949. E 2,481,@6$

BOAT

Filed May 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l I l i KL u 53 3mm A. A. APEL BOATFiled May 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE BOAT Arno A. Apel, Ventnor, NJ.

Application May 29, 1945, Serial No. 596,531

3 Claims. (01. 114-665) My invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in boats and more particularly to a boat that is capable ofextremely high speed.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a hull that isespecially adapted for racing purposes although the same novel featuresof construction may be employed in heavier built hulls so thatthe hullmay be advantageously used for crash boats, fast runabouts, fastcruisers and the like.

The present invention includes all the advantageous features shown inPatent No. 2,126,304 of August 9, 1938, granted to me, Arno A. Apel, andAdolph E. Apel, together with additional novel features of constructionthat provides for greater maneuverability and stability together withcertain aerodynamic features for the streamlining of the hull from thewater line up.

Still another object of the invention is toprovide a boat capable ofextremely high speed wherein the stabilizers or sponsons as shown in theabove mentioned patent ratherthan extending outwardly from the forwardsides of the boat, are built directly under the hull, thus giving anincreased beam from the bow to amidships. To further increase the beamfrom amidships to the stern, there is provided what might be termed asupplemental bottom extending along each side of the'normal bottom.

Still another object of the invention is toprovide a hull employingtheadvantages of stabilizers at the bow so that at high speeds there isprovided substantially a three point suspension in that the boatrides onthe two stabilizers-and on the sternsection of the bottom. Furthermore,there are additional bottoms that are not in contact with the water whenthe boat is moving at high speed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a boat with anespecially designedbottom and stabilizers so that the stabilizers aredirectly under the boat rather than protruding from the sides thusavoiding the possibility of damaging or knocking 011? one of thestabilizers when roundin a. buoy, passing another boat or landing at iHowever, supplemental bottom surfaces are provided at each side of thenormal bottom, these supplemental'bottom surfaces being respectively ofthe same width as the width of the stabilizers.

These bottom surfaces also converge inwardly towards the stern followingthe defining sides of the main bottom but in a horizontal plane abovethat of the horizontal plane of the normal bottom. Thus,.when the boatis travelling at high speedstitis supported on the stabilizers and thenormal bottom, the secondary bottoms being completely'out ofthe waterthus reducing the skin friction below the water line and the airresistance and the air drag above the water line.

Still another object of the invention is to produce a hullwhereinthesides (top sides) of the boat extend over the stabilizers and continueto the stern transom. The sides converge inwardly from the aft end ofthe stabilizers to the transom, but the superstructures intermediatesides decrease in width so that the flattened portions between themarginal edges of the sides and they superstructureslightly broaden asmay be seen in Fig. 1. 7

.Still another object of the invention is to provide a hullwhereintheaerodynamic features of the superstructure cooperate with thehydrodynamic .features of the understructure.

In other words, the superstructure provides what might be termed'ahumpback construction and this humpback superstructure slopes upwardlyand inwardly from the extreme sides of the boat while the sides broadento a point about ainidships'. The humpback then narrows in width tothestern transom; leaving, however, the sloping sides of the;superstructure which extend outwardly to the extreme sides of the hull,thus streamlining the hull above the water line from the bow tothestern.

Still another object of the invention is to produce aboat-whereinthesame when travelling at high speeds will travel on the stabilizersand stern-section of the bottom to thus reduce the skin friction orsurface contact as much as possible, and atthe same time, to provide asuperstructure of greater beam than isordinarily employed; but at thesame time reduce the air drag or air resistance of the superstructure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hu-llwherein thesuperstructure cooperates aerodynamically' with the undersurface, thehull at the stern having a fantail-like appearance and the extreme sidesof the hull from amidships to the sternadapted to be out of the water athigh speed so that the air will pass both over and Referring now to thedrawings showing the preferred form and one modification:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view; Fig. 3 is aside elevational view;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3showing only the section at this immediate point;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3showing only the section at this immediate point;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3vshowing only the section at this immediate point;

Fig.7 is a diagrammatic view taken on line 'l---! of Fig. 3 looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view taken on linev 88 of Fig. 3 showing onlythe section at this immediate point; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig '7 but showing a slightlymodfied form in that the supplemental bottoms are shown as slantingslightly from the outer sides toward the main bottom.

Referring now more specifically to the several views and for the momentto Figs. 1 and 3, there may be seen the humpback or whalebacksuperstructure I of the hull, the bow beingpointed as at 2 and thenwidening out to amidships as at 3 where the top sides T taper orconverge rather sharply as may be seen at 4 to their point ofconvergence 5 at the stern.

It will also be noticed that the top surface of the humpback also slantsslowly upwardly to amidships and then slightly downwardly to the point 5where it terminates in what it might be termed the upper extending finor tail 6. Both from the bow and from the sides, the hull is somewhatwhalelike in appearance as maybe seen from Fig. 3. The contour and theshape of the superstructure is also illustrated in the Figs. 4 to "I.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the drivers cockpit I while the engine hatch maybe seen in outline as at 8, and of course, other compartments forpassengers or riders may be placed at any desired point in the hulldepending for what purpose it is to be used, such as for racing, crashboats, speed boats, etc. 7

It will also be seen from Fig. 1 that by shaping the entiresuperstructure 2 as shown, it provides the relatively wide sloping topsides T of the .boat, and these sides T extend over what I have termedthe supplemental bottoms SB later onto be mentioned, that is, from theamidships aft. Also, the broadened sides at the bow are positioneddirectly above the stabilizers also to be mentioned shortly.

As far as the specification has proceeded, it will be seen that the beamis greatly augmented over that shown in the patent previously mentioned,to wit, No. 2,126,304, thus permitting great stability, greatermaneuverability, less chance of porpoising or nosing in the water, andalso gives more support at the stern.

Also, it will be seen that the bow, that is, of the superstructure(whaleback) broadens to amidships and then narrows to a fin or tailfollowing well established principles of streamlining, or in otherwords, to hold down the air drag or air resistance when travelling athigh speeds.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 showing the bottom plan of the boat,there may be seen the bottom B that extends slightly downwardly from thebow or nose I l to about the point l2, it curving outwardly from thecenter to the opposite sides as may be seen in Fig. 8. It then flattensout into a horizontal surface as may be seen in Fig. 4 and retains thisflat surface to the transom.

It will also be seen that this bottom B is of the same width toamidships but from here aft the bottom narrows in width as may be seenby the defining sides l4.

Referring now to what I term stabilizers S which are a part of thebottom structure, or in other words, a part of the hull bottom, it willbe seen there is one under each side so a description of the one will bea description of the other.

It is to be noticed that the stabilizers S at their forward ends mergewith the undersurface, or in other words, the bottom B of the body. Theoutermost sides of the stabilizers are slightly angular in cross-sectionas shown in Fig. 4 to provide the non-trip chines C and thesestabilizers S then increase in depth asthey approach the midsection ofthe boat or hull so that from about the point I3 to amidships, they willbe beneath the water line.

It will also be noticed that the stabilizers S in cross-section haveincreased in depth toward their afterpart and terminate amidship.

It might be mentioned that the angle (of attack or incidence) for thestabilizers is determined from a horizontal line of boat travel andshould be no less than three quarters of an inch and no greater than oneand one quarter inch per foot, This follows the practice set out in thepatent previously mentioned.

Furthermore, there may be seen the metal fins I5' on the inner adjacentsides of the stabilizers S that extend beyond the aft end of thestabilizers to hold the air entrapped between the bottom and the aft endof the stabilizers and also provide against sideslip when the boat isrunning at high speed.

In other words, the construction of the stabilizers S closely followsthat shown in the previous Patent No. 2,126,304 with the exception thatrather than having them project out beyond the normal sides of the boat,they are built directly on the bottom and are encompassed within thenormal sides, thus the beam of the boat may be increased and at the sametime, there is less likelihood of their becoming damaged in use.

I have also found that by providing what I term supplemental bottoms SB,there are also a number of advantages.

From this point on the understructure differs greatly from the previouspatent which is mentioned above.

As may be seen especially in Figs. 4 and 5, the stabilizers, with theexception of the forward end, extends in a plane below that of thenormal bottom B. Then at their point of termination, the supplementalbottoms SB merge therewith and it will be noticed in Figs. 5, 6, and '7that these supplemental bottoms are in a horizontal plane above that ofthe normal bottom B, this arrangement being carried out from a pointamidships to the rear transom.

Thus, when the boat is travelling at high speeds, it will be supportedprincipally on the stabilizers S forward of amidships and on this normalbottom at a point somewhere between amidships and the stern, while thesupplemental bottoms SB will be out of contact with the water due to thefact that they are in a higher plane and partiy due to the fact that thestabilizers create a trough along the opposite sides of the boat.

It will also be seen that the top sides T in Figs. 4 to 7 extend overthese supplemental bottoms SB so that the air being displaced will passover the top sides T and under the top sides, or in other words, beneaththe supplemental bottoms. Thus, these supplemental bottoms SB and topsides T form two longitudinally extending fin-like structures that willoffer but little resistance to the air rushing past them.

Where the supplemental bottoms join the normal bottom 13, I prefer aninety degree angle, but as shown in the modified form in Fig. 9 ratherthan have the supplemental bottoms merge with the main bottom at aninety degree angle, the supplemental bottoms might taper or slopeslightly downwardly from their outer sides to the normal bottom or inother words, these supplemental bottoms SB' might extend slightly at anangle to the main bottom rather than extending in a horizontal plane.

In any event, the top sides T from a point amidships, that is, at thetermination of the stabilizers, extend outwardly and are coextensivewith the supplemental bottoms, which supplemental bottoms are in ahigher plane than the normal bottom and the supplemental bottoms mayeither be in a horizontal plane throughout their length or may slope atan angle to merge with the nor-- mal bottom. Thus, the supplementalbottoms and the top sides extending over the bottoms cooperate, that is,aerodynamically to offer a minimum resistance to the air when the boatis travelling at a high speed.

It will also be seen that the entire superstructure is designed tocooperate with the understructure to provide as little air resistance aspossible, while the undersurface of the boat with its stabilizers andrestricted bottom tends to provide as little skin resistance aspossible.

However, when the boat is making turns or hits a choppy sea, the bottomand supplemental bottoms provide a relatively wide surface area or whatmight be termed a iantail construction to thus make it easier to steerand lessen the chances of upsetting.

Also, by providing a boat with a wider beam, it gives more room in theboat if it is to be used to carry passengers or personnel and at thesame time, the extra beam will not out down the speed of the boat.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a boat whereinall the advantages procured by the arrangement shown in the formerpatent mentioned, to wit, No. 2,126,304 are retained with the addition,however, of certain aerodynamic advantages which when added, make for afaster boat where the horsepower is equal.

Many slight changes may be made without in any way departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

HaVing thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toobtain by Letters Patent is:

r Number 1. A boat hull having a main bottom, the forward end of thebottom sloping slightly downwardly and then extending in an unbrokensurface to the stern, stabilizers at the bow of the boat extending toamidship and positioned on the bottom and wholly encompassed within thesides of the boat, the said stabilizers merging with the bottom at theirforward ends and extending below the surface or the bottom at their rearends and supplemental bottoms coextensive in width with stabilizers attheir aft ends and extending from the aft end of the stabilizers to thestern and on each side of the main bottom but in a higher longitudinalplane than the normal bottom of the boat, to thus reduce the skinfriction below the water line and the air resistance above the waterline.

2. A boat hull having a main bottom, the forward end of the bottomsloping slightly downwardly from the bow and then presenting a fiatsurface at the stern, the said bottom reducing in width from a pointamidships to the stern, stabilizers at the bow of the boat extending toamidship and positioned on the said bottom, the said stabilizers mergingwith the bottom at their forward ends and extending below the surface ofthe bottom at their rear ends; supplemental bottoms substantiallycoextensive in width with the aft end of the stabilizers and extendingfrom the said aft end of the stabilizers to the stern but in a higherlongitudinal plane than the normal bottom of the boat and the saidsupplemental bottoms being to each side of the main bottom and slightlycurved in bottom plan view from a point amidship to the stern.

3. A boat having a main bottom unbroken transversely from a point justbeyond the bow to the transom, a whalelike superstructure together withoutwardly flaring top sides extending throughout the length of thesuperstructure, stabilizers on the main bottom and positioned near thebow and under the respective flaring sides, the said stabilizersextending in a plane below the main bottom, supplemental bottomscoextensive in width with the said stabilizers, the said supplementalbottoms extending from the aft end of the stabilizers to the stern andon each side of the main bottom but in a higher plane than the normalbottom, the said flaring sides also extending over and throughout thelength of said supplemental bottoms whereby the air, when the boat istravelling at high speed and the supplemental bottoms are out of thewater, may pass both over and along the top sides and under and alongthe said supplemental bottoms to thus reduce the skin friction below thewater line and the air resistance and the air drag above the water line.

ARNO A. APEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Braemerman Mar. 18, 1930 Apel et al. 1Aug. 4, 1938 Brien Sept. 29, 1942 Huard Nov. 21 1944

